Exploring Life & Business with Sharlinda Parker And Sabrina Rowe (Tu La 2 Brand) of Tu La 2 Brand

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharlinda Parker And Sabrina Rowe (Tu La 2 Brand).

Hi Sharlinda Parker and Sabrina Rowe (Tu La 2 Brand), so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
SHARLINDA: Our story started with faith, hustle, and a vision bigger than what we could see at the time. When we moved to Atlanta, we connected with the right people. Originally we didn’t have a big investor or a blueprint handed to us. What we had was a vision, talent, work ethic, and a deep belief that excellence would open doors. We started in the beauty industry simply doing what we loved, caring for nails and caring for people. Very quickly, we realized we weren’t just doing manicures. We were building relationships. We were creating a safe space. We were building confidence one set of hands at a time.

As twins, we’ve always had a built-in partnership. But building a business together required discipline, trust, communication, and clear roles. We leaned into our strengths, Sabrina’s consistency and structure, Sharlinda’s creativity and vision. That balance became our foundation.

One of our biggest turning points came when we made the bold decision to transition from a traditional full-service salon to an all-natural nail care salon, long before “going green” was popular. People thought we were taking a risk. But we believed in healthy, luxe nail care and clean beauty before it became mainstream. That decision positioned us differently in the market and gave our brand a purpose beyond trends.

Over the years, our work opened doors into the celebrity world. We became trusted celebrity manicurists, servicing icons across entertainment, business, and media. But what we’re most proud of is that whether someone is a global superstar or a first-time client, we serve them with the same excellence. We always tell our clients that they are our biggest celebrities. Our goal is to make each client feel appreciated.

As the salon grew, so did our vision. We launched the Tu La 2 Collection, vegan, eco-conscious body polish, fragrance mists, cuticle oils, and wellness products, because our clients kept asking to take the “Tu La 2 experience” home. What started as in-salon treatments became a full lifestyle brand.

We’ve also expanded into speaking, community work through Sisters United of Atlanta, podcasting, and media projects. Every layer of our brand reflects the same heart: beauty, wellness, confidence, and community.

We didn’t build this overnight. It’s been over 30 plus years of consistency, creativity, reinvention, and faith. We’ve survived industry shifts, economic changes, and personal challenges, but we stayed rooted in who we are.

Today, Tu La 2 is more than a salon. It’s a movement around healthy luxury, self-care, and ownership. And we’re still building.

Because for us, this journey was never just about nails, it’s about our legacy.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
SABRINA: Has it been a smooth road? Absolutely not. And we say that with gratitude.
When we moved to Atlanta, we didn’t have a built-in network. (….We didn’t know the “right” people)….. We didn’t have investors backing us. We had skill, faith, and a work ethic that refused to quit. Starting over in a new city meant long days, quiet weeks in the manicure chair, and moments where we questioned whether we were being bold or just crazy.

In the early years, (….cash flow was one of our biggest struggles)…… Beauty is glamorous on the outside, but behind the scenes it’s rent, payroll, inventory, taxes, marketing, and making sure you still have something left to pay ourselves and reinvest. There were times we had to choose discipline over comfort.

Then there was the shift to becoming an all-natural nail salon before it was popular. People thought we were limiting ourselves. Some clients didn’t understand why we were stepping away from certain services. It felt risky, but we trusted our vision. That decision became one of our greatest differentiators.

And of course, being twin sisters and business partners comes with its own challenges. We had to learn how to separate emotions from operations, how to disagree without disconnecting, and how to respect each other’s strengths instead of competing with them.

But every struggle sharpened us. Every setback forced us to build systems.
Every slow season strengthened our creativity.
Every doubt deepened our faith.

So no, it hasn’t been smooth, but it’s been purposeful. And that purpose is what carried us from surviving… to scaling… to building a brand that lasts.

We’ve been impressed with Tu La 2 Brand, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Tu La 2 is more than a nail salon. It’s a lifestyle brand rooted in confidence, wellness, and intention. We started Tu La 2 over 30 plus years ago with a vision to create a space where beauty and healing could coexist. What began as a full-service salon evolved into something much more purposeful when we made the bold decision to specialize in all-natural nail care, long before “clean beauty” became a trend.

At the time, it wasn’t popular. But we believed that luxury should never come at the expense of health. We stayed the course and kept our heads up and encouraged each other that we can do this no matter how difficult or challenging our days were.

Today, Tu La 2 Brand includes our Atlanta-based nail salon, our vegan-friendly Tu La 2 Collection of body and self-care products, curated experiences, and educational initiatives.

We specialize in natural nail care, restorative manicures and pedicures, and high-quality products like our signature Body Polish, Fragrance Mist, Cuticle Oil Pens, and Foot Repair Balm, all crafted with intention and designed to elevate everyday self-care and self awareness.

We’re known for three things: consistency, creativity, and care.

As celebrity manicurists, we’ve had the privilege of working with some of the biggest names in entertainment, but we give that same level of detail and excellence to every client who walks through our doors. That balance of high-profile artistry and down-home luxury is part of what sets us apart.

What truly differentiates Tu La 2 is that we don’t just polish nails, we restore confidence while building client family-ship. Our salon chairs have always been safe spaces. Our products aren’t just about fragrance, they’re about how you feel when you walk into a room. Everything we create is meant to empower.

Brand-wise, we’re most proud of our longevity and our evolution to never give up. We’ve lasted through trends, economic shifts, and industry changes because we are built on values, not fads. We’re also incredibly proud of the hard work we have dedicated into launching our Tu La 2 Collection and seeing it grow into a brand that reflects our hard work, heart, clean, luxe, expressive, and inclusive.

What we want readers to know is this: Tu La 2 is intentional. From our ingredients to our services to the experiences we curate, everything is designed to make you feel seen, elevated, and cared for. Whether you visit our salon, shop our products, or attend one of our experiences, you’re stepping into a brand built on purpose for your entire family.
And we’re just getting started.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up, we were always creative, but in different ways.

As twins, people assume we were identical in everything, but personality-wise we had our own rhythms even early on.

BRIE: Sharlinda has always been visionary, imaginative, expressive, full of ideas. She was the one rearranging furniture, experimenting with fashion, and seeing potential in everything around her. Creativity has always been second nature to her. She definitely gives off mother vibes to everyone!

SHAR: Sabrina has always been grounded and steady. Organized, consistent, disciplined. If Sharlinda had the big idea, Sabrina was already thinking about how to execute it. Even as kids, she was the one making sure things were finished and done right. She’s definitely the penny counter!

We both loved beauty from an early age, doing hair, experimenting with nails, watching how small details could change how someone felt about themselves. But more than beauty, we were drawn to connection. We’ve always been people-people. We loved talking, observing, and encouraging others. That desire to uplift has been with us since childhood. We didn’t grow up rich so we both love to create something out of nothing!

We were also very driven. Even young, we didn’t see ourselves just following a traditional path. We talked about owning something one day, not necessarily knowing what that would look like yet, but knowing we wanted independence and impact.

Being twins also shaped us deeply. ……It taught us teamwork early even though we have arguments and disagreements. When one goes right and one goes left we meet back up in the middle. It taught us to compromise. It taught us loyalty and that we were all we had to lean on growing up. When you grow up sharing everything, from birthdays to dreams, you learn how to communicate and how to protect the bond.

Looking back, the seeds of Tu La 2 were already there. The creativity. The discipline.
The desire to build something meaningful. We just didn’t know yet how it would all come
together. But God!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tula2brand.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tula2brand/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TuLa2Brand/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TuLa2brand
• Other: https://tula2collection.com/